Rosita Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough facts for kids

Rosita Spencer-Churchill, also known as Dagmar Rosita Astrid Libertas, was born on September 26, 1943, in Madrid, Spain. She is a talented artist with family roots in Sweden and Germany. Rosita was married to John Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough, who was a British nobleman. They were married from 1972 until they divorced in 2008.

Rosita's Early Life

Rosita was born Countess Rosita Douglas in Madrid, Spain. Her father, Count Carl Ludvig Douglas, was a Swedish nobleman and diplomat. He worked as the Swedish Ambassador to Brazil. Her mother, Ottora Maria Haas-Heye, was from Prussia. Rosita's grandmother was Augusta, Countess Sandels.

Because her father was a diplomat, Rosita grew up traveling the world. However, she spent her summers at the family's castle, Stjärnorp. This castle belonged to her grandfather, General Archibald Douglas.

Rosita went to school in Sweden and in Washington D.C. She studied art at two famous schools: Konstfack in Stockholm, Sweden, and the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs in Paris, France. While in Paris, she also worked for the well-known fashion designer, Emanuel Ungaro. Later, she worked as a freelance designer in London.

Marriage and Family

On May 20, 1972, Rosita Douglas married John Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough. He had just inherited his family's titles and estates two months before. This made her the Duchess of Marlborough. As Duchess, she lived in several grand homes, including Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England.

Rosita and the Duke had three children:

• Lord Richard Spencer-Churchill (born in 1973, but sadly passed away as a baby)
• Lord Edward Albert Charles Spencer-Churchill (born in 1974), who married Kimberly Hammerstroem.
• Lady Alexandra Elizabeth Spencer-Churchill (born in 1977).

The Duke and Duchess later divorced in 2008.

Rosita as an Artist

In 1992, Rosita returned to her passion for art as a professional painter. She has held solo art shows in London and Palm Beach. Her first show in London in 1995 displayed paintings of people and figures.

After that, she traveled to Morocco in 1996. Her paintings inspired by Moroccan themes sold very well. Since then, her art has been shown and sold in London, New York, and Palm Beach. Her paintings and sculptures are now part of art collections around the world.

In 2006, a special exhibition called Rosita Marlborough: A Retrospective was held. It showed many of her works at the Elizabeth de C. Wilson Museum. This museum is part of the Southern Vermont Arts Center.